An Unexpected Magic
by harrypotterlover317
Summary: Sarah starts her journey through the magical world at Hogwarts, meeting a certain Slytherin-to-be on the train ride there. Their lives at Hogwarts become entwined, but what will happen? T to be safe
1. Agony

**A.N. Hey guys, this is my second crack at a TMR-OC fix. I wrote my first one, A Twist in Time, which had been my first and main inspiration, but I couldn't get enough of Tom Riddle (just love him so much, but I can't explain it. Is it normal?), and I tend to write better with OCs, where I have more room for creativity, as opposed to having Ginny or Hermione, the two main female leads opposite of TMR, since there already so many good ones for them out there and all the ideas seem to be taken. Anyway, give this a try. Enjoy! Well...maybe not at first...**

"Crucio," a male voice said lightly. Sarah braced herself for the intense pain that she knew she would feel, but nothing could have prepared her for this. She had always been sensitive to pain, not having a very high tolerance for it, and now she was being hit by a pain so intense it was blinding. All other senses shut down, and the only thing she felt was the sensation of white-hot knives peeling away at every inch of her skin. Her back arched against the pain, and her body twitched involuntarily, as if trying to shake it off. _Not...real.._.she managed to think. Her mind was a haze, but she tried to tell herself this. _Nothing...is...wrong. This...won't...kill...me..._ That was all she could think, and her mind repeated this. It was all she could hold on to, the thought that her body wasn't actually being mutilated beyond repair, and so the pain held no real meaning. All of a sudden, the endless hell was over. She vaguely heard her torturer hit the ground with a grunt. With infinite effort, she turned her head to see who her savior was, the effort feeling like pushing at a wall. Sarah managed a small smile of recognition at the sight of the features that were so familiar to her.

"Thanks," she managed, but that was too much for her. She faded out of consciousness, the last thing she saw being two hands reaching out for her.


	2. Sweet Beginnings

Sarah took a deep breath, inhaling the scents while taking in the sights and sounds around her. The air smelled cooler, and Sarah reveled in the light sting of the fall air hitting her nose. _Fall_, she sighed. _School. Hogwarts._ She glanced down at her train ticket, still not believing her eyes. Platform 9 3/4. A magically hidden platform. _That was the least of the wonders revealed to me_, Sarah reflected. The least from a long list of them, which included the fact that her strange skills and the resulting odd occurrences, unknown to her entire family, were magic, the fact that there existed an entire community, an entire world, of people like her, the existence of a magic school called Hogwarts, and her acceptance to the school. Sarah's mind still spun from it all. And now she had to speed into the seemingly solid brick wall and believe that she would end up unharmed on "the other side", on the hidden platform. Having said her goodbyes to her family - two parents and a baby brother still too young to fully grasp the situation - she ran towards the barrier. _Please don't let this be a joke,_ she pleaded before her cart touched the wall...and emerged on the other side. _I made it_! She thought cheerfully, not quite believing that something that seemed so solid was a doorway to something so well concealed. She saw all the other witches and wizards rushing around her, children excitedly boarding the train and parents helping children with their suitcases and saying goodbyes. She was now finally going to be a part of them, be a part of this magical world. Sarah caught sight of the Hogwarts' Express, and she gasped. It was the most beautiful train she had ever seen. The train was a shade darker than scarlet, her favorite shade of red, and with its black wheels and black funnel it looked extremely majestic. _Well, it's fitting_, Sarah thought. Hogwarts itself looked very majestic in Hogwarts, A History. _If it looks that great in picture, I can only imagine how amazing it looks in reality_. The whistle blew, snapping her out of her reverie. _Oh no, I have to hurry up or else the train will leave without me!_ Unsure of what to do with her luggage, Sarah looked around and saw all the kids leaving their luggage on the trolley near a small man with a pinched face, pointy nose, and squinty eyes. _That's probably what I'm supposed to do. The luggage must come separately. _Leaving her luggage with the man, Sarah ran to the train and quickly boarded. She stopped to catch her breath, not used to the exertion, and then proceeded to search for a compartment. The first few compartments were filled with older kids who looked somewhat scary. _I'm just going to sit in the first compartment that has any space_, Sarah thought, out of breath from dragging and lifting the heavy suitcase. So when she saw a compartment with only a young boy sitting in it, she went and sank into the seat. She had planned on sitting in a crowded compartment so that she could try to befriend as many people as possible before getting to the school, but she was currently too tired to care. Seated across from him, Sarah was able to study the boy more closely now. Even sitting, she could tell that he was tall, with a lean silhouette. He had a pale face, which contrasted sharply with his jet-black hair and dark eyes. His hair was slightly long, grown to just above his ears and parted to the side. All in all, Sarah thought he looked attractive. The contrast between his pale face and dark hair, the way his hair was styled, his intense, dark, almond eyes, his prominent cheekbones, with his face devoid of all baby fat, and his lean frame all came together to give the boy a pleasant appearance. The boy was engrossed in a book, barely noticing Sarah sitting across from him. She read the title. _Hogwarts: A History_, it read. _He seems smart too_, Sarah noted, pleased. _He seems to like reading as much as I do._ She hesitated, torn between wanting to start a conversation with the boy and worrying about disrupting him from the reading he was so drawn into and thus antagonizing him. But her lack of restraint won over, and she opened her mouth.

"Hello," her voice rang out cheerfully. The boy looked up at her, and she saw that his eyes were indeed intense, seeming to cut through her surface and gaze deep into her being.

"Hello," he replied calmly, though his eyes showed the briefest flicker of annoyance at the interruption. He seemed to be perfectly fine with silence. Sarah, however, seemed to see it as a challenge, and was more determined to talk to him. She wanted to get to know as many people as she could, and this boy would be no exception, especially since he seemed to be one of the few rare people who enjoyed reading.

"My name is Sarah. Sarah Aylette," she introduced herself, holding out a hand. Tom looked at it for a second, seeming slightly unsure, before reaching out and shaking her hand lightly.

"Tom. Tom Riddle," he answered. Sarah smiled. _So far, so good_.

"What year are you going into at Hogwarts?" she asked him.

"First year," he replied.

"Ooh, me too! That's cool - we'll be in the same year, and might even share classes!"

"Yeah, that'll be fun," Tom said, attempting to smile, but Sarah could tell it was fake. She sighed. She hadn't said nearly enough to annoy him. Why did he seem to hate her attempts at conversation?

"So since you're reading Hogwarts: A History, you probably know about the Houses at Hogwarts?" Sarah asked. Tom nodded.

"Yes, I do. There are four Houses, named after the four Founders," Tom recited. "A person gets Sorted into Houses based on his characteristics and personality traits. He ends up in a House based on which Founder his character resembles most." _Ah, he seems to want to show off his intelligence and knowledge. So that's how to get him talking - mention a book and something from it. That won't be too hard_, she figured.

"Well, in that case, I'm a little worried," Sarah said with a small laugh. "I read the characteristics for the four Houses. Gryffindor is the House of the brave, daring, and chivalrous. Hufflepuff is the House for the just, loyal, patient, and hardworking. Ravenclaws are supposed to be smart and witty, and Slytherins are cunning and ambitious. I'm not sure if I'm any of those." She paused, and then corrected herself. "Well, I suppose I am somewhat smart, if I can say so without sounding like I'm bragging, and I think I am ambitious, since I want to at least be good at the things I like doing, but I'm not sure if I have enough of the traits of a House to fit anywhere. I hope the Hat can figure it out. I don't want to be an oddball. Or worse, get kicked out for not fitting in anywhere." Her laugh from earlier had gone and was replaced with evident worry as she actually considered the possibilities. Tom gazed at her, face mostly blank, but eyes betraying a flicker of surprise, as if amazed at how the girl could rattle on. When he was sure she had stopped, he opened his mouth to reply.

"Well, you read the book. If you are magical, the Hat can fit you in a House." After a thought, he added, "I suppose the Hat could technically even Sort a Muggle into a house if Sorting was based on character traits. Assuming, of course, that the person had a character developed enough to be Sorted. But you won't have to worry about that. You got your letter, right?" Sarah nodded, not seeming to register that the question was, of course, rhetorical. "Then you'll be fine."

"Thanks," Sarah said, smiling again. "So, what about you? Have any ideas which House you think you'll end up in? Or any preferences?"

"I think Slytherin seems interesting," Tom replied quietly. "I think I could end up there. I'd like that."

"Yeah. I've heard that Slytherin is supposedly the House of evil people, but if all you have to be is ambitious and cunning, that's not necessarily evil. I don't really care which House I end up in," Sarah said with a shrug. Then, a witch pulled up outside of their compartment with a trolley loaded with a variety of fancy, wrapped packages.

"Would you like to buy anything to eat, dears?" she asked kindly.

"No thanks," Tom turned the lady down politely.

"What do you have?" Sarah asked eagerly. This was food from the Wizarding World! There was sure to be something different, something magical, about this food. And even if there wasn't, Sarah liked eating when she traveled, and seeing the beautifully wrapped packages made her hungry. Besides, her parents had given her some pocket money, and she didn't think she'd need much at Hogwarts, from what she could tell when Professor Dumbledore had come to explain Hogwarts to her.

"There are Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Jelly Slugs, Liquorice Wands, and Pumpkin Pasties, dear," the lady replied.

"I'll have a little of everything," Sarah said eagerly, all but bouncing up and down in her seat. _The sweets sound delicious!_ Sarah was excited to try them all. She looked over at Tom, wondering if he was denying himself the wonderful luxuries of sweets. Oh well, she supposed she wouldn't mind sharing. The lady handed her the sweets.

"Four sickles," the lady stated. Sarah handed her the money, and then eagerly grabbed a box of Chocolate Frogs. She ran a hand over the beautiful blue pentagon box with intricate gold designs, almost reluctant to open the package and then discard the box. She eventually opened the box, and a chocolate frog jumped out. She dropped the box in shock at the fact that her chocolate had just tried to jump away from her, but managed to grab the frog, stuffing it hastily in her mouth. _Mmmm! Delicious_! Sarah was absolutely reveling in the taste of the amazing, delicious, sweet, creamy chocolate. As she chewed on it, she met Tom's gaze. His expression seemed to be a mixture of amusement at her situation and disgust at the way she was eating her chocolate. Sarah looked down shamefully, quickly finishing eating her Chocolate Frog before looking back up at him and speaking.

"Hey, in my defense, that frog just jumped away from me! I had to quickly catch and eat it before it landed on something and became unclean to eat from the germs on the window or wherever it would've landed." At this, Tom raised an eyebrow, appearing to hold back a chuckle. Sarah blushed, feeling slightly embarrassed, and looked away, her eyes falling on the rest of her sweets. _Oh no! I forgot to offer Tom some sweets in all this commotion!_ Sarah now felt guilty for her behavior.

"Oh, I almost forgot! Do you want some candy?" Sarah asked, pushing her pile towards him. Tom's brows furrowed for a second, and Sarah could swear that in that second, he looked confused. But in the next second, his face smoothed over again, and that momentary look could've been put off as a trick of the light.

"No thanks," he replied.

"Aww, c'mon! You can't say no to sweets! Here, at least try a few. I'm sure that you haven't had these before. You certainly don't have to have more if you don't like them, but no harm in giving them a try!" Tom gave her another quizzical look before reaching tentatively for one of the two remaining boxes of Chocolate Frogs. Knowing what to expect, he cupped one hand over the opening of the box once he took off the lid. Catching the frog skillfully in his hand, he gripped it firmly between his fingers and expertly took a small bite out of it. He chewed on it neatly, sending a smirk at Sarah's direction. Sarah scowled in reply.

"So that's what I get for sharing. You, showing off how neatly and properly you can eat your Chocolate Frogs. That's only thanks to me, I hope you realize. If you hadn't seen me struggle first with the Frog, that would've been you twisting to catch the frog and stuffing it in your mouth." Tom's smirk stayed on his face.

"No, you're wrong, because I would never have been the first to eat the chocolate. I wouldn't have even considered eating it otherwise. Either way, I would still stay dignified." Tom sounded satisfied.

"Aww, I feel so special! I got you to try the chocolate. You tried it all because of me," Sarah replied sarcastically. "But why you wouldn't have tried it first, huh? You tried it now, so you can't hate chocolate."

"Well, no. I wouldn't have thought of trying chocolate since I've never had it before," Tom remarked off-handedly. Sarah gasped loudly though.

"You've never had chocolate? Ever? What, are your parents health freaks or something?" Tom's expression darkened for a second.

"Something like that," he muttered, sounding almost angry. He turned his head and looked away from her. Of course, he must be mad that his parents made him miss out on something that most other kids grew up on. At least, she did. She especially did.

"Oh, I'm really sorry. Truly. You have no idea what you're missing out on. But never fear! You've met me now, and I promise to introduce you to the world of sweets. You don't have to worry about your parents now, and they'll never know. Here, start off your journey in the sweet world with these." Sarah pushed all of the Liquorice Wands, Pumpkin Pasties, and Jelly Slugs at Tom without hesitation. She didn't like pumpkin flavored things, liquorice, or most jellies in the Muggle world, so she didn't feel a loss by not trying them even in the Wizarding World. It would work out perfectly if he liked them, and if not, she could always split the rest of the goodies. He'd never had any in his life, it seemed, so she didn't feel too upset at parting with her treasures. Sarah watched Tom trying the sweets. He seemed to like all three of them, chewing slowly as if to savor the taste, make it last forever. Silently, Sarah also divided the rest of her goodies, and gave her last Chocolate Frog to Tom. _After all, he's never had chocolate_. A quiet settled over them as both kids enjoyed their sweets, but for once Sarah found the silence not unsettling and awkward but rather calming and normal. Sarah noticed a change in Tom's face. He was smiling. It was a very faint smile, the smile that was on Tom's face, almost invisible, but it was there all the same, and Sarah could tell because even that slight smile lit up his face just a bit brighter. _He looks cuter when he actually seems a bit happy, instead of dull like when I first saw him._ Sarah looked down and smiled herself, happy that she was able to make him happy.

**A.N. Hey guys, thanks for reading it this far if you've made it down here! I know this chapter was long, but hopefully not too dreary and boring? Please review and let me know what you think, I'd really appreciate it! And keep reading, because the next chapter will be from Tom's point of view, which should be...shall we say, interesting?  
Please review! Many thanks in advance :)**


	3. Conversations and Confusion

Tom bit into his last Chocolate Frog delicately, slowly savoring the smooth, creamy, rich flavor. It was so delicious! He nearly closed his eyes in contentment, but stopped himself. Chocolate hadn't hypnotized him so much as to make him let down his guard. However, he couldn't stop the smile that flitted across his face. It was the first time he had ever tasted something so delectable. He liked the other sweets that Sarah had shared well enough, but chocolate was by far the best. Tom noticed Sarah catch his eye and notice his smile. Tom was about to contort his face back into its smooth mask of indifference, since he was uncomfortable with acknowledging her generosity, not having ever acknowledging anything of the sort before. _I don't want her to know that her sharing of her sweets actually affected me. It makes no difference to me_. But before he could, she had looked down and smiled, a small smile that Tom could tell mirrored his own. Tom was confused. _She parted with some of her chocolate. She loves it, and had bought it with her own money, and she willingly gave me some, without anything in return. And yet she seems happy when she watches me eat her sweets? I get angry when people take my things. Then again, the filthy scum at the orphanage would steal my rare possessions, so I had never actually given them permission, while here she gave me her sweets herself. But how could that make her happy?_ He figured that he could show her some gratitude, if only to be polite. Tom had a plan for maintaining a perfect self-image, and he figured now was the perfect opportunity to start on it. The first step, he figured, would be maintaining niceties.  
"Thank you," Tom said. The words seemed strange, tasted almost foreign on his tongue, and Tom nearly winced as he said them. He threw in a smile for additional measure, since he was already going through the trouble to be polite. Sarah grinned in reply.  
"Sure, no problem! See, I told you I'd be the one to introduce you to the wonderful world of chocolate! And I'm glad I had the honor of doing so. I feel special." Tom scoffed internally, fighting against rolling his eyes. _Such a silly, petty thing can make her feel special? She must be a rather ordinary girl, not remarkable at all. She doesn't know what it means to be special. To be special is to be unique, to be great. Which is what I have every intention of being at Hogwarts_. Tom shook himself out of his thoughts, knowing that if he continued this train of thought, he'd get lost and zone out, and that would look weird to Sarah. He couldn't afford to look weird. Instead, he forced a laugh at her statement, trying to think of what he should say in reply. He didn't have to think, however, for she spoke again.  
"So, I was wondering - were you only reading Hogwarts: A History to pass time on the train ride, or were you trying to get through all of your textbooks before you got to school?"  
"I actually finished reading all the books before getting on the train, but I decided to reread Hogwarts: A History to pass time on the train. Besides, it's impossible to remember everything in one reading, so it's not a waste of time." Tom realized that he sounded somewhat defensive near the end, and he nearly smacked himself. He didn't need to defend himself to anyone.  
"Oh, I totally agree with you," Sarah replied, surprising Tom. Most of the kids he knew maintained at least a 10-meter distance from any books if they could help it. "I actually looked through some of the schoolbooks myself. I'll admit, I didn't go as far as you did. I hate history, and frankly, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi looked boring, but I did leaf through the other books. The books on Transfiguration, Potions, and other spell books I really enjoyed, but I can't wait until I can actually do the spells. Professor Dumbledore said that I couldn't use my wand at home, or anywhere outside of the Wizarding World." Tom grimaced at this. He didn't like Professor Dumbledore anyway, because of the suspicious way he regarded Tom when he mentioned his life at the orphanage. _Of course, the old man would look at me badly for my actions. He didn't see, wouldn't understand the filth I had to deal with. They were bloody awful to me, they were, and magic was the only power I held over them, the only way I could show them not to mess with me. And it worked too. I don't see why he saw that as wrong. _  
"I was told the same thing. Something about proper adult supervision. And I really think it's an unfair rule," he told her. It seemed safe to tell her this. He wasn't insulting the professor or anything, just remarking on the rule. "How is a person supposed to practice magic? I'm assuming the rule holds in future summers. We will forget what we learn this way."  
"Right? I was so excited to get a head start. I mean, this is magic we are talking about here. Something where you see results in front of you. This is something amazing, which everyone should want to practice as much as they can." Sarah was speaking animatedly, her eyes sparkling as she spoke of magic. Tom noticed that her enthusiasm actually mirrored his own, though he would never express it, at least not like this. He'd show it by excelling in all areas of magic.  
"But couldn't you have just learned magic from your parents?" Tom asked. He was curious. He himself hadn't grown up around magical folk, but that was because he had been raised in a Muggle orphanage. He imagined most people grew up in Wizarding families. Tom worried that he would be quite behind other students, and it was actually one of the reasons he had pushed himself so much to read - he wanted to make sure he was as caught up as he could be with magic and the Wizarding World.  
"No, I couldn't. Professor Dumbledore said that because I was Muggle-born, it wasn't safe for me to actually try any spells at home. He said I could hurt myself or my family, and no one would know what to do.  
"Muggle-born?" Tom asked, unable to keep the surprise and curiosity out of his voice. That sounded like her parents were Muggles. _But how would she have magic then? _  
"Yeah, it means that my parents are Muggles. What about you? If you weren't able to do magic either, and hadn't learned, that must mean that you are a Muggle-born too, right?" Tom nearly scowled. He didn't want to admit that he had no idea, since his parents had died and he had grown up in an orphanage. He figured it would be easier to lie.  
"No, my parents are magical," Tom lied smoothly. "They were just really particular about me waiting until Hogwarts before actually trying out magic. Besides, I only got my school supplies two weeks ago, so I couldn't have done anything without a wand anyway."  
"True. I got my supplies an entire month ago, so I've been really impatient and eager to start magic."  
"You got your supplies a month ago?" Tom asked, his voice mostly indifferent and calm, but with a tinge of jealousy that Tom couldn't keep out. _I have to work on my indifference_, he thought. _But she found out so much earlier than I did about her magic? That's so unfair._  
"Yeah, I had so much fun shopping for school supplies. Diagonal Alley is amazing!" Tom couldn't agree with her more, especially since he had gotten the luxury of shopping for supplies on his own. It was a completely novel experience for him, since he had never handled money before, and he wanted to have this 'first time' the way he liked it - on his own, with complete independence.  
"It truly is," Tom nodded his assent. Though he had been facing the window, Tom just noticed it, and saw that it was getting dark. "Hey, we better go change into our robes. I expect that we will be arriving soon." Sarah turned around, and her jaw dropped a little in an expression of great surprise.  
"Oh gosh, it's so late! Time flew by so quickly!" Tom wouldmt admit this, but he agreed. It must have been at least six hours, but he barely noticed the long journey. Admitting that time flew, however, would be admitting that he had fun, as the saying 'time flies when you are having fun' came to him. The most fun he had was when he read books, but he hadn't done much of that during the train ride, since his time had been spent talking to the girl. And yet time flew. "Yes, we should probably go change," Sarah continued, bringing him back. "But let's meet back in this compartment, all right? Since we already know each other a bit better, we can stick together for now. How does that sound?" Tom didn't care either way, and actually thought it would be a bit of a bother to come back to the compartment, wait for her, and then get off, but he supposed that if they had time before exiting the train he might as well return to the compartment.  
"Okay, sounds good," Tom agreed. It was only after they had parted ways to change that Tom reflected upon the girl. _Wow, that girl can talk_, he thought, amazed at her capacity for speaking. _She's really persistent at keeping a conversation going. Honestly, she was even annoying at first. I probably would've started ignoring her soon. But then the sweet trolley had come, and she had bought and shared her own sweets with him. Somehow, that was almost a turning point. She actually shared with me. No one had ever shared anything with him before. Taken, certainly. But never shared. So he had to share with himself on their behalf, by taking children's things at the orphanage. The things that Dumbledore made him give back. Oh well, they were stupid, foolish Muggle toys anyway. Junk. But it served to remind them who held the power. But the girl had shared, and somehow, after the sweets the conversation had taken a more natural turn, and conversation had started coming easily._ Now that he thought about it, he was surprised at how much he himself had said. Though it had come naturally at the time, he realized that he had never talked this much with anyone. He sometimes replied to the adults' questions at the orphanage, but except for the occasional argument or fight with the other kids, Tom never really talked to anyone. So to him, this was unnatural. Having finished changing, Tom walked back towards the compartment, bumping into Sarah on the way. Just then, the train started slowing down. Tom and Sarah stopped in the aisle, holding on to the walls, and the train soon came to a full stop. Tom and Sarah got off the train, and heard a voice.  
"First-years, this way please. Follow me!" A male voice said. The man led them towards many boats. Tom and Sarah got into the same boat, along with two other people. Sarah started chatting with the other kids in the boat, giving Tom the time to look around and take in the scenery. The lake was dark, practically black, and the banks had many trees. It was nice, he thought. Calm. Peaceful.  
"Duck," Sarah hissed loudly, snapping him out of his thoughts. Just in time, too, or else his head would've hit the top of the bridge. Everyone sat back up once they passed the bridge. Tom's heart had sped up in the panic, but he kept his face impassive. The dark helped further mask his face so that he looked unfixed.  
"You're welcome," Sarah huffed. They got there soon. Tom looked up at the majestic castle in front of him and held back a gasp. Sounds around him alerted him to the fact that the other students failed in doing so, gasping loudly in amazement. The castle pointed tall and proud into the sky, with many towers with sharp peaks, and lights that made the whole thing glow like a beautiful jewel set against the jet-black sky. For the first time, Tom truly thought he could describe something as 'beautiful', and could've stayed up all night just staring at it. However, the students were ushered quickly into the building by a kind young man with a long auburn beard. Professor Dumbledore. Tom had to keep from letting a grimace come across his features. The fact that he was interrupted from staring at Hogwarts probably didn't help. The professor made them wait, but after what felt like a century, they were allowed inside the Great Hall and told to line up in alphabetical order. Sarah gave him a sad look since they were separated, with her near the front while he was closer to the back, but Tom simply gazed at her evenly. He then turned towards the middle of the Great Hall and stood slightly on tiptoe. He saw an old, tatty, patched hat on the stool. _So this is the hat that's going to Sort us?_ Tom wondered. It looked even more unassuming in real life than it had in the book, and Tom frankly thought it was unimpressive. However, his assumptions were shattered when the Hat seemed to straighten up and a tear in the Hat widened. Then, to his amazement, the Hat started to sing.  
"Oh you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me.

You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all.

There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be.

You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;

You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
And unafraid of toil;

Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;

Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folks use any means  
To achieve their ends.

So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"  
Then, Professor Dumbledore started calling out names of the first-years to be Sorted.  
"Abbot, Elisa!" The Hat sat on her head a few more minutes before yelling, "Hufflepuff!" The Hufflepuff table applauded loudly. After a few more students, Sarah was up. Tom paid attention, curious to see which House she'd be Sorted into, especially after all her worries about not belonging. The Hat was placed on her head, and the Great Hall was silent. Thirty seconds had gone by, and the Hat still hadn't said anything, though Tom noticed that Sarah was looking up at the Hat. He knew from the book that the Hat often talked to its students, and wondered what mental conversation they were having. A minute went by. Two minutes. Three. Tom briefly wondered if Sarah had inadvertently been right, and she in fact couldn't be Sorted. Would she have to be sent home? But he shook his head. Even the sound of the prospect seemed ridiculous. Tom saw the tear in the Hat widen. He waited.  
"Slytherin!" It yelled. Sarah, still seeming stunned, walked off towards the Slytherin table. There was only a smattering of faint applause, and Tom was a little curious, but he simply put it off to the fact that the Slytherin crowd seemed more serious and less boisterous. That is, until he overheard the boy in front of him, who was talking to his friend.  
"What? The Sorting Hat placed that Mudblood filth in Slytherin? Our noble House, home of the real purebloods, has been tainted with dirt!" He sneered. Tom was puzzled. Mudblood? That must be a slang term for a Muggleborn. Salazar Slytherin, he knew, had been famous for his belief in pure-blood supremacy, but Tom had always thought it was because he didn't trust Muggles to keep magic a secret and allow the Wizarding World to function normally and peacefully, but he didn't imagine it to be out of spite. Though if all Muggles were like the ones he knew, Tom felt that they didn't deserve to know and potentially benefit from magic. But Tom was surprised by the boy's statement, and was even more surprised when he saw that most of the Slytherins had ignored Sarah, with the exception of a girl who sat beside her. The line slowly inched forward, and Tom got more and more anxious. What if I am the one who's impossible to Sort, he couldn't help but worry, no matter what he may have told Sarah. But he had read _Hogwarts: A History_, and he read about Salazar Slytherin. In particular, though Tom hadnt mentioned it to Sarah, Tom thought of Slytherin's ability to speak Parseltongue, the language of snakes. Tom had discovered at the orphanage that he could speak to snakes, and snakes were often his best companions. The thing that excited him was that the book said that Parseltongue was passed down genetically. That could mean that he could speak Parseltongue, and could be Slytherin's descendant! In that case, Tom belonged in Slytherin, without a doubt, more than perhaps even the pureblood wizards and witches. Finally, his turn came up. He walked up to the stool confidently, his back straight, head held high, keeping eye contact with the professor until he put the hat on his head. Or, rather, almost did, since the Hat didn't say anything to him. It didn't even touch his head before making its decision.  
"Slytherin!" It yelled. _I knew I belonged there_, Tom smirked. He saw an empty seat next to Sarah, and sat in it. However, once he sat down, he realized his situation. Tom had noticed that there had been little applause for him too, mostly coming only from Sarah. However, there had been a lot of applause from the Slytherins for people such as Abraxas Malfoy. _These must be those purebloods that the boy was mentioning earlier,_ Tom realized. _Riddle must not be a pureblood name then, just like Aylette isn't. I had been able to fool Sarah, since she was a Muggleborn, but they won't be fooled. So I can't really lie, and these kids seem rich - I can tell by their robes. They seemed to talk about Muggleborns as if they are filth. I could speak Parseltongue in front of them, prove that I am a Slytherin, literally, by blood, but then I'll be expected to turn against Sarah along with them. He looked in her direction and thought that he would have no problem with that. Except she is very friendly, and will probably have a large friend circle, likely an inter-house circle. If I treat her badly along with the other Slytherins, she can tell her friends and make me look bad. And I can't afford that either if I am to have a flawless reputation as a perfect student and, yes, even classmate. The teachers could hate me if they see me as a stereotypical Slytherin_. Tom almost groaned at the mess he was in, all because of the girl. How the bloody hell did she even get herself into Slytherin anyway? She has the personality of the stupid Gryffindors, who all seem very boisterous. Or maybe Ravenclaw, if the Hat deemed her intelligent enough. _But there's no way that girl is cunning! And to make things worse, she's actually taken an interest in talking to me! Not that I have any interest in talking to her anymore, now that the train ride is over. After all, I have no use for talking to her anymore_. He had to look good, kind, perfect in front of everyone, but also had to avoid being mistreated by his own House members, many of whom were probably powerful. What should I do? He asked himself, thoroughly confused.


	4. A Fresh Start?

As the Slytherin prefect led the first-years to their dormitories, Sarah walked dazedly, not really paying much attention to her surroundings. She was amazed by the mesmerizing sights, she truly was, but she was too busy thinking about how she ended up in Slytherin. _Most of them don't seem to like me_, she thought. _But why? Some people just automatically had others gravitate to them. Is it because they are rich? That could be it. That blond boy certainly seemed like he had a lot of money. Or maybe it's because I am new to the Wizarding world_. She thought of the other kids who had stood with her in line. _But there are others who have Muggle parents!_ She realized, though, that none of them had ended up in her House. _That has to be a coincidence though, the fact that only Slytherins hate Muggle-borns, if that's why they hate me. The more I think about it though, the more it seems true, because only that blond boy really seemed rich, so it can't be wealth. Or maybe they just knew each other from before. That could be why they were comfortable with each other already, and didn't need a new friend_, she tried to convince herself. But she knew that it didn't explain some of the glares she had gotten. She'd heard someone hiss 'Mudblood' with a dirty look in her direction, but she had no idea what the word meant. _I shouldn't generalize, but I just don't feel like I'm like them at all in personality. Why am I in this House?_ She recalled the Sorting Hat's words to her.

"Ah, I see we have an interesting mind here. Intelligence is there, certainly. You seem bold and outgoing, and you treat people well. You are trustworthy and loyal. But I see that your experience with a new school two years ago made you cynical about people."

"Hey!" Sarah interjected with her thoughts. How do you know all of this about my past?

"I'm The Sorting Hat, girl. I know everything about your personality, so did it not occur to you that I can see everything on your mind?" Sarah turned red at the thought that the Hat could see everything in her mind, but the Hat continued, not giving her time to dwell. "You don't trust others because of this, and therefore you put yourself above others. You are definitely a mixture of many Houses. You want to use your intelligence to prove yourself amd your capabilities, and you want to grow up to become great. But yet, you aren't cunning, and you wear your heart on your sleeve, so you are more likely to be taken advantage of."

"Even you think so?" Sarah asked the Hat. "I wish I wasn't like that. I don't want to necessarily take advantage of people, but I'd prefer that to being taken advantage of."

"I see. That's the most important part. What you want, what things you value. Seeing that these are the traits that you value, and seeing as you already possess many of the qualities such as intelligence, ambition, determination, and resourcefulness, I think I know the right place for you."

"SLYTHERIN!" The Sorting Hat had yelled.

_I guess I can only blame myself for being in Slytherin_, Sarah thought with a shrug. _Oh well. I'm used to not fitting in at school. It won't be worse here. At least I have magic. There's so much to study and learn about here that I don't need anyone to fight boredom here. Besides, I can talk to people from other Houses too._

"Hello, are you listening to a word I'm saying?" Catriona, the girl who had sat next to Sarah at dinner, asked. "I've been trying to get your attention for the last two minutes!" Sarah nearly smacked herself for her stupidity. How could she have forgotten about Catriona, the only person who had talked to her at dinner? _I just don't think of her as one of the Slytherins. She's more like me. I'm sure she has Slytherin qualities, and maybe she is even cunning and hides it well, but when I think of the Slytherins, I picture the others. I don't loop myself or her in with them. I'm going to have to get used to the fact that I am a Slytherin too. _

"Sorry, I didn't mean to ignore you. I was just thinking," Sarah replied.

"Is something wrong?" Catriona asked, her eyes softening with concern.

"No, I'm fine," Sarah said with a smile. "I was just thinking that it's surprising that we ended up in Slytherin."

"Yeah, I know. Oh well, what can we do? We can just enjoy ourselves and make the other Slytherins jealous that they're not as fun as us." Catriona grinned at her.

"Yeah!" Sarah said enthusiastically. She glimpsed, out of the corner of her eye, Tom Riddle walking quietly, not talking to anyone. She felt sympathy for him. He had gotten as unenthusiastic of a response as she had, and she at least had Catriona. He, though, had no one. _Maybe he likes it better this way,_ she thought. _After all, when I first met him, he came off as quiet, not sociable. But he did talk to me well enough for someone who's quiet, and I shouldn't assume that he prefers to be lonely_. As she was thinking about this, they got to a stone wall.

"Ambitionis," the Prefect said. The wall parted, revealing a grand room that was ornately furnished. Green lamps cast an almost eerie glow about the room, but Sarah thought that the 'almost' part made the room's glow beautiful instead of creepy. A fireplace sat right across from where the students stood, and the warm, orange fire helped to somewhat neutralize the green-dominated room that would've otherwise looked dreary and gloomy with its green and black couches and dark wooden cupboards. "This will be the password until it changes," the Prefect continued, shaking Sarah out of her thoughts, "and I will inform you when the change occurs." She took in the Prefect's appearance. He was a dark-haired boy with icy-blue eyes and prominent cheekbones, and he had a lean, lithe frame. _He's attractive_, Sarah noted with a slight blush. _I don't think any of the boys in my year look like him. _

"Sarah, why are you staring at the Prefect?" Catriona whispered, noticing her gaze.

"He's hot," she replied sheepishly.

"What? Ew. He also happens to be my brother!" Catriona stated simply. Sarah looked at Catriona in surprise, and was shocked at the resemblance between the siblings that she hadn't noticed until now. Catriona had the same, silky brown hair, though it was a shade lighter than her brother's and hung down to a few inches past her shoulders. Her eyes were the same, stunning icy-blue, but they were framed with long, dark, thick lashes that made her eyes look bigger and wider than her brother's. Even their lips were shaped the the same. They both had thin lips, but Catriona's were more relaxed, at least around Sarah, as if she would smile at any minute. Her brother, on the other hand, looked as if he hadn't smiled in ages. _They look so similar yet so different_, Sarah thought in wonder at the oxymoron.

"Oh. Well, don't worry," Sarah finally replied to Catriona's statement. "He's too old for me anyway." Catriona's brother spoke again before the girls could say anything more.

"Girls' dormitories are down to the right, boys' are to the left," he pointed out. "Get a good night's sleep - you'll need it for tomorrow." With that, he turned and walked to his dormitory. Sarah turned to find Tom, and found him standing off to her right.

"Good night Tom," she said with a smile. "Sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite. I can't help but feel that those are a real concern here, even though we have magic."

"Thanks," Tom smiled back slightly. "You too. See you tomorrow." Then, he turned and joined the other boys who were walking towards their dormitories, and she turned and walked to her dormitory with Catriona. The two girls grabbed adjacent beds, not caring about who else would be sleeping near them since they just wanted to be next to each other. Sarah fell asleep without another word, tired from the day's events but exceedingly happy at the day's events in her new world.

Sarah's eyes fluttered open the next morning. She turned over in her bed, preparing to wake up and get ready for the first day, but she froze as she heard a smushing sound beneath her. Her arms too, now that she thought of it, felt oddly crusted over with something strange. She looked down at her arms, which she was shocked to find were covered with a sticky green goop. The green goop covered her all over.

"EEeeewwwwwww!" she screamed, rolling out of bed and falling to the floor in an attempt to get up and rush to the bathroom to wash the gunk off. A few of the nearby girls stirred in their beds at the noise, including Catriona. Sarah got up with some difficulty and started to walk.

"Stop defiling our dormitory, Mudblood. You're getting that filth everywhere," a slender girl with long white-blond hair and silver eyes sneered, her face contorting with disgust at the sight of Sarah getting the slimy green goop all over the floor. The other girls sniggered at the girl's double meaning. Sarah felt her eyes prick with hot tears, but she fought them off. _I can already tell that the Slytherin House is no place for tears_, she told herself. _The Sorting Hat deemed me fit for Slytherin, but he told me that I wore my heart on my sleeve, which was one of the things keeping me from Slytherin. I refuse to do that anymore. If they can be foul to me, at least I can anger them back by refusing to give them satisfaction_. With this thought, Sarah turned once more towards the bathroom. But by this time, Catriona was fully awake, and her face was red, her eyes alight with anger. She glared at the blonde girl.

"You disgust me, Celia" she began. "You say she is the disgusting one, but in reality it's you who's the filth. You're filth because you can't treat Sarah like a human being. It's people like you who make Slytherin look bad, who give Slytherin the unfortunate reputation it has today. So please, improve our day by just keeping your mouth shut." She reached for her wand, and for a split second Sarah was worried that Catriona would hex Celia. But instead, Catriona pointed her wand at Sarah.

"Scourgify," she said clearly. All the gunk disappeared from Sarah's body. Catriona then turned her wand at the floor and cleaned it up.

"At least I actually act like a proper Slytherin," Celia finally hissed back. "You seem more Hufflepuff than anything. Useless, good-for-nothings they are, those Hufflepuffs. You disgrace the Slytherin House with your lack of etiquette and propriety. I'm surprised that you weren't placed in Hufflepuff along with all the other useless losers," she hissed. Sarah saw Catriona's eyes become marginally more watery, and she stopped breathing for a few seconds and gasped. However, Catriona, like Sarah, held her tears back and glared at the girl instead.

"Well, clearly I'm in Slytherin, so I belong here," she replied hotly. "I think the Sorting Hat, a magical object of the Founders, knows better than a bigoted idiot like you. So you better not mess with me and Sarah. Because I have a few hexes up my sleeve too." With that, Catriona turned and walked into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her, leaving a stunned Sarah in her wake. She was very surprised that Catriona had stood up for her against the girls like that, putting her own reputation on the line on the very first day. _Wow, she really is brave and strong-willed_, Sarah thought in admiration, _not letting the girls get to her, and not letting them intimidate her. She antagonized them for me, even though she could've been perfectly friendly with them and survived socially because she's a pureblood. I don't think I could've done that if I were in her position_. She went to take a shower, where the hot water helped her relax and calm down so that she could face the day ahead. _It will be best if I go to classes with a clear head_, she told herself. _The classes are what are important right now, not these girls._ She found that there was lavender-scented soap, and she reveled in the beautiful floral scent that wafted from the air around her as the soap's fragrance diffused throughout. Once she managed to get out of the wonderfully warm water, she quickly put her uniform on and wrestled a comb through her poofy, thick, tangled black hair. The fact that her hair was only shoulder-length made her hair texture look more repulsive, in her opinion. _I'll need to get hair product soon,_ Sarah thought. _Or, better yet, learn how to use magic to tame it. There's gotta be some spells for that, right? After all, nearly everyone I've seen here, at least in my House, has perfect hair. The ones who don't, well, I don't want to look like them. I don't want to be lumped in with them_. With this discouraging thought in mind, she straightened her silver-and-green striped tie and walked into the common room, where she found Catriona waiting for her.

"Took you long enough," Catriona remarked.

"Sorry, hair issues," Sarah mumbled. "C'mon, let's go." As they walked towards the Great Hall for breakfast, Sarah had the urge to ask Catriona a question. She wasn't sure if it would be right, and she didn't want to upset Catriona, but she was curious.

"Hey, Catriona, if you don't mind me asking, why were you so upset when Celia insulted Hufflepuffs?" Sarah saw the pained, haunted expression return behind Catriona's eyes, and instantly regretted asking. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have -"

"No, it's okay," Catriona replied, though her voice had lost its previous energy and was now no more than a whisper. She took a deep breath. "Celia's words bothered me because my dad was a Hufflepuff."

"Really? No wonder you were offended by her insults. Don't take them to heart though. Clearly she's wrong about Hufflepuffs, especially if your dad was one. I mean, she's never met him. She can't judge him." Sarah tried to cheer Catriona up, but instead tears started to well up in her eyes.

"Of course she hasn't met him. And she never can. My father's dead." Catriona voice broke as she spoke those words. Sarah didn't know what to say. _I can't believe it. She's had such a tragedy in her life, and she still manages to be cheerful. And I thought I had issues. My problems at my old school, my loneliness there, were so petty. _

"I'm - I'm sorry, Catriona," Sarah finally managed.

"It's okay," Catriona said back. They finally got to the Great Hall, and sat down at their House table. Breakfast was silent between the two girls though, and Sarah regretted killing their previously cheerful mood. There was a delectable variety of food for breakfast, but Sarah only managed to eat a slice of buttered toast. The post owls arrived, and two of them dropped a letter in front of Sarah and Catriona respectively. Sarah opened her letter.

_Dear Sarah,_

_How are you? We hope you reached Hogwarts safely, though since this is all magic, I trust you did. We miss you terribly already - not sure how your mom and brother are going to get through the whole year. We hope that you managed to make new friends and are having a good time. We always knew you were special, and now you are able to go to this school of magic! Do focus on your studies, now more than ever, and other than that, stay safe, be good, and have fun._

_From,_

_Dad, Mom, and Eddie_

Sarah looked over at Catriona and saw a small smile on her face. She didn't ask what was in the letter though. _I've intruded enough for today_, she thought. _She's my friend, and I can ask her about herself and all, but not today. Not after I've already made her remember such a tragic memory. I don't want to be nosy_. They received their schedules, and the two girls compared them.

"Oh, we have all of our classes together!" Catriona exclaimed. "This is great!" Catriona's looked cheered up, forgetting her earlier sadness, which made Sarah happy. They walked off to Transfiguration first, and they found that they had class with the Gryffindors. Most people, Slytherins and Gryffindors alike, looked disgruntled by the fact, but Sarah and Catriona were thrilled. The Gryffindors seemed very friendly and outgoing, like them, and they hoped that they could be the ones to break the House prejudices. Sarah looked around, surveying her classmates, and was happy when she saw Tom amongst them. He seemed to have settled down before everyone else, and was engrossed in reading the Transfiguration book for the class.

"C'mon, let's go sit next to Tom," Sarah told Catriona. "I talked to him on the train ride, and he's pretty cool, even though he's quiet."

"All right one person is just as good as another for me," Catriona said. They sat down next to Tom, and Sarah swore she saw an expression of irritation flit across his face, but it disappeared just as quickly.

"Hey," Sarah said.

"Hello," Tom replied.

"Looks like someone is getting a last-minute head start," Sarah remarked lightly. Tom shrugged in response.

"I was bored. So I figured I might as well reread."

"Well, that's good. Keep reading," Catriona put in. "I heard that teachers give House points to students who answer questions in class correctly. You'll be really helpful for us." Tom's face barely changed, but Sarah was sure she saw a little smugness in his face. She put on a mock-offended expression.

"Hey, what am I, some ditzy blonde? Sorry, no offense to blondes," Sarah said quickly, looking around to make sure no blond kid heard them. Thankfully, no one seemed to be paying attention to their conversation. "I did some reading over the summer too though. I love how you assume that Tom is the only one who can earn us House points in class." Catriona laughed in response.

"No need to be so jealous, Sarah. I never said that Tom was the only one who could, I just said that he certainly would help since he is reading so much." Tom cracked a smile at Catriona's words, and Sarah felt immensely satisfied for some reason. Because she was sure that he wasn't a very social person, she was sure that he didn't smile much, and certainly not at others' words. Therefore, the fact that she got him to smile was satisfying. Before she could add anything, the teacher walked in, and everyone stopped talking. Sarah saw that the smile had slipped from Tom's face, and was replaced by a frown, but she didn't think much of it.

"Good morning, class. My name is Professor Dumbledore."

"Good morning Professor Dumbledore," the class said in unison.

"I hope that this will be a class that you will all enjoy. I enjoy teaching it because it's very hands-on. This class will be mostly about doing, not memorizing theory and facts." Sarah smiled. That was the kind of learning she liked best - learning in which she could eventually do something with it. She didn't actually mind learning theory, but either the theory really had to be interesting, or it had to be important for doing something practical.

"Unfortunately, we will first have to take notes." The class groaned, disappointed that they wouldn't be jumping right in to trying wand work. Professor Dumbledore explained the first spell that they'd be doing and the wand motion needed, and then continued.  
"Today, we will attempt to transfigured a matchbox into a needle. Like this." He showed them, and then asked the class to give it a try. Sarah took out her wand and, concentrating furiously, moved it the way Professor Dumbledore showed them. The spell is harder than Professor Dumbledore made it out to be, Sarah thought to herself in frustration. After several tries, Sarah's matchbox looked like a cross between a matchbox and a needle. It was silver and pointy, but the other end was as wide as the matchbox had been. She looked over at Tom and saw him give another try. That try was the charm for him, because a needle now lay in front of him. He raised his hand.

"Good job Tom. Ten points to Slytherin since you were the first to transfigured it perfectly." Professor Dumbledore didn't seem as bright and happy as he had earlier. He was talking slower, and his smile looked smaller.

"Thank you sir," Tom replied a bit stiffly. His stiff tone didn't keep him from turning to smirk at Sarah, though. She simply scowled in return.

"All right, class dismissed," Professor Dumbledore said.

"Ha, I beat you," Tom told Sarah smugly once he and the two girls had left class.

"Yeah yeah, I saw. My senses function, you know, so you don't have to tell me. It doesn't matter. I'm happy it wasn't some Gryffindor, that's all. At least it was our House that got the points. Anyway, what class do you have next, Tom? Catriona and I have Potions next," Sarah told him quickly before he could remark on her obvious disappointment.

"Sarah, just call me Cat," Catriona interjected. "You're my friend, so I don't mind the nickname from you." Sarah smiled at her words. _Friends. She's claimed me as her friend. Perhaps our friendship might actually work out well after all. _

"I have Potions too," Tom said.

"Great!" Sarah said excitedly. "Then we can walk to our classes together, at least today. What classes do you have tomorrow?"

"Charms, then History of Magic," Tom replied.

"Awesome, same for both of us! And tell me that you have Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts the day after, along with Astronomy at night!" Tom nodded in assent.

"Brilliant! We have all our classes together! This'll be fun. We'll have tons of time to become great friends." Sarah thought she heard Tom mumble something like 'oh great', but she ignored it. They reached the Potions classroom and sat down. Since they had to sit in pairs, Sarah and Catriona ended up sitting together, while Tom was stuck with a Slytherin boy who had blond hair. _I think that's Malfoy_, Sarah thought. _I'm pretty sure Malfoy is the only blond boy in Slytherin_. She looked around the room, and her eyes fell on a short, chubby man with strawberry-blond hair and a gingery blond moustache. Once all the students had walked in and found places to sit, the teacher walked to the front of the room and turned to face the students.

"Good morning class, my name is Professor Slughorn. In this class we will learn to brew many concoctions, from healing potions to poisons and everything in between. Today, you will attempt to create Cure for Boils, using just your books and your partner for help. Do not worry if you are unable to get the potion right. I will demonstrate tomorrow in front of the class how to brew it, but I want to see what you can make of the potions instructions on your own, to get an idea of where you are ability-wise. There are ingredients in the cupboard if you don't have all the ones needed. You may now turn to the appropriate page in your books and begin." Sarah quickly flipped to the page and skimmed through the needed ingredients. She rushed out of her seat to get the ones that she needed.

"We should try to be the first ones to finish. It'll be good if we can earn some House points. Professor Slughorn is our Head of House too, so we will impress him if we do well," Sarah stated. Catriona nodded in agreement, and the girls got to work.

"We have to be careful to follow the instructions precisely," Catriona emphasized. "We can't be even a little careless about even the smallest details of the instructions, or else the potion could go horribly wrong."

"Messed up many potions in your day, have you?" Sarah teased.

"No," Catriona scoffed. "My brother has. He's messed up so many that he's melted several cauldrons."

"I thought he couldn't do magic outside of school? That none of us can?"

"You think he'd listen? Besides, that rule is stricter for Muggleborns. Wizarding children can get away with it because our parents do magic, so the Trace is useless for us. Our parents have to enforce that rule, and I don't see why most parents would care or want to restrict their child from practicing magic."

"That's unfair," Sarah pouted, but then she went back to working on the potion. The girls finished before class was over, and Sarah looked around to see if anyone else was done. She was satisfied to see that Tom was still on the second-to-last step. She quickly raised her hand, and Professor Slughorn came over to inspect it.

"Excellent job, Miss Aylette and Miss Prince. Ten points to Slytherin."

"Your last name is Prince?" Sarah asked Catriona in surprise. She shrugged.

"Yeah. I know it's a strange last name, since a prince is a guy, but I'll get married and my last name will change eventually, so oh well." Sarah then turned and smirked victoriously at Tom. _It's my turn to be smug now_, Sarah thought. Once class was over, Sarah walked over to Tom to gloat.

"Ha, who beat who now?"

"Well, you had a relatively competent partner," Tom began.

"I'm not just relatively competent, I am very much competent," Catriona interjected incredulously.

"While my partner barely did anything and expected me to do all the work, acting like he was a king or something, and that he was above doing all the hard work of making the potion," Tom finished as if she hadn't spoken.

"Excuses, excuses," Sarah teased. "Well, clearly we are all smart. If we work together, we can really boost our House score, and hopefully help us win the House cup."

"As long as we do relatively well in Quidditch," Catriona added.

"I prefer competition," Tom said.

"Competition?" Sarah rolled her eyes. "Tom, we are in the same House. All points go to the same place. So why compete?"

"That, if anything, is more reason to compete. If we try to outdo each other, other Houses won't stand a chance of earning points in class, if today was any indication of anything. We'll be sure to win." Tom reasoned. _Well, his logic does make sense_, Sarah thought. _And besides, I do enjoy competing. It's fun when I beat other people in something. It feels good, feeling like I'm the best at whatever it is I beat them in. The feeling of being the best is satisfying. Very much so. _

"All right. Bring on the competition. You'll regret it when I beat you."

"Ha. You wish. Okay, it's on." They shook hands, and then the three walked towards the Great Hall. Sarah felt happy and eagerly anticipated the next days's classes.

**A.N. I had initially considered putting Sarah and Tom together in Potions, but I didn't want to separate her from Catriona, her new best friend. It seemed unrealistic, and I figured it would be more fun to pit her and Tom against each other in friendly competition! Reviews are appreciated, as always! I thrive off of them :) Happy reading!**


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